Avalanche Lake in Glacier National Park

Avalanche Lake is a beautiful 4 mile (roundtrip) out and back hike in Glacier National Park. This hike starts at the Trail of the Cedars trailhead located at the north end of Lake McDonald. Though the trail is very busy, the hike is beautiful and well shaded for most of the distance.

Hike Info

Rating: moderate

Distance: 4.0 miles roundtrip

Elevation Gain: 730 feet

Fees: Glacier National Park Fee

Tips: Parking is tricky, so arrive early in the morning or later in the day. You can also ride the shuttle to this stop to avoid parking drama.

We recommend hiking from the east side of the Trail of the Cedars toward Avalanche Lake. This way you will pass the waterfall on your way to the lake.

Avalanche Lake is worth the hike. It’s beautiful!

One of the main problems at Avalanche Lake is parking. This is increasingly true in all our National Parks, so plan to arrive early to get a spot. The trail begins along the Trail of the Cedars trail which wanders through the trees. The trees are helpfully signed, and include cedars, willows, hemlock, and yew. A boardwalk path keeps you off the forest floor for this section of the hike and it is nice and flat.

The Trail of the Cedars has a nice boardwalk as you walk through the forest.

There are signs on the trail about the animals and plants in this area of the park.

Part of the trail walks near the river.

Right before you branch off to Avalanche Lake you will pass this beautiful little cascade.

There are signs to help along the way, and about halfway around the Trail of the Cedars one will point the way to Avalanche Lake. This trail leaves the boardwalk and climbs up to Avalanche Lake. The first 50 meters is a steep, slick climb, but after that, the trail evens out. It is still uphill, but it is a steady angle from that point on.

The trail climbs quickly at the first, but levels out once you reach the river.

For the first half of the hike the trail follows the river.

The trail follows closely to the stream that cascades out of the lake, and the water is a nice light aqua color because it comes from the glaciers. Our youngest, who is six, had no problem with this hike, though he’s a pretty avid hiker. Eventually, you reach the crest of a ridge, and the trail begins to descend to the edge of the lake.

The water in the river was quite high when we were there.

The trail leaves the river and walks through the forest. It is very shady and peaceful.

The trail climbs most of the way to Avalanche Lake, but it is gradual and doable for most families.

When you leave the cover of the trees, the trail begins to descend to the lake. You are almost there.

Avalanche lake is very shallow, sparkling blue, and in July when we were there, surrounded by cascades of water. The lake sits in a towering bowl with massive snow banks that are being pressed into glaciers all around. Each of these has it’s own waterfall running down into the lake.

Avalanche Lake is a stunning site!

If you continue along the shore to the right, the trail takes you all the way to the far end of the lake. There are openings in the trees that lead down to rocky beaches. You may even find a bench if the crowds aren’t too thick.

We tried dipping our feet in the water, and it is painfully cold. After just a few seconds, we were nearly frozen! The boys enjoyed skipping rocks across the glassy surface of the lake, though. Mom and Dad marveled at the beauty of Avalanche Lake while they watched the boys.

We couldn’t keep our feet in for very long. The water was freezing but so clear!

There was plenty of space to spread out and skip rocks, and enjoy Avalanche Lake.

There are two options on the way back to the car. You may return the way you came, or you may return to the boardwalk and continue on around the Trail of the Cedars, which adds a little easy distance to this hike. If you didn’t see the cascade on the way out, make sure to stop and see the beautiful little waterfall which is near the branch off to Avalanche Lake. You can also just hike Trail of the Cedars if Avalanche Lake seems to long.